As one of the first online console RPGs, Phantasy Star Online has proven to be a winner amongst gamers across the globe. With the game already on the Dreamcast and recently confirmed for Nintendo's GameCube, one of the most exciting prospects is the possibility of a cross-platform online experience. This very feature seems to have been confirmed, thanks to a demonstration on Japanese television show, World Business. During the demo, the Dreamcast-connected screen showed the GameCube-derived character, and vice versa.

Of course, there is one proverbial fly in the ointment. While Phantasy Star Online Version 2 hits the Dreamcast later this month, the GameCube installment will only be available when the console goes online, sometime in the first quarter of next year. By that time Dreamcast gamers will no doubt have considerably exhausted the game, possibly negating what is otherwise a fantastic feature that will hopefully be recapitulated by developers in the future. Check back with us soon as more inter-platform gaming details are released.